Means for use in operating electric cars and the like



Feb. 20, 1923.

|-:.J. FUTTERER MEANS FOR USE IN OPERATIGELECTRIC GARS AND Filed' Jan. 5l

THE LIKE 2 sheets-sheet 2 CHECK VALVE fn'ffwr CHECK VALVE iff auXiliary Patented Feb. i923.

EDWARD J. ru'rrnnnn, or-Burrnro, NEW Yoan.-

MEANS non use 1N ornnafrrne nnnc'rnroonns'ann THE mnn, i"

Appncation med January si, 1922. 'serial noltssgiee.

T 0 aZZ whom t may concern:

a citizen of theUnited States, residing `at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of Improvement in Means for Use in Operating Electric Cars and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This vinvention relates tov means forv use in operatingl electric cars or other vehicles and more particularly to'means for stopping the operation of the vehicle and actuating certain safety or emergency devices. a

The objects of this invention are to pro-l vide means of this kind of improved con-` struction which make it impossible Ato start orto continue the operation of the vehicle while the operator is engaged otherwiseI than in the operation of the vehicle; 'also to provide means of this kindy which may be used for actuating a plurality of safety devicesy in case an accident appears imminent; also to improve the construction of means of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified.

ln the accompanying drawings,

Figs. l, 2 and 3 are elevations `partly in section of a handlefor actuating the operating means embodying the' invention, andr y Fig. fi is a diagrammatic view showing the connections between the several devices to be operated and the actuating handle.

Briefly stated, theinvention includes an handle which may be mounted in any position where it is readily accessible, for example, on theV air brake handle of the vehicle and which is sol arranged that it norV mally moves intoqa position to cause the vehicle to stop, this being accomplished in the construction shown,'by actuating a de-` vice for turning the controller or analogous device into an off position, also applying the brakes and opening the,l door or doors of the vehicle. The auxiliary handle, while the car is in operation, is held by the operator in a position in which the actuation of the brakes, controller off device and door opening device are rendered inoperative. The auxiliary handle maybeso constructed, if desired, that inv case of emergency this handle can be moved into a third position in which'all of the devices for stopping the vehicle are actuated,` aswell as, other emergency or accident preventing devices, such as an alarm, yfender dropping means, track sanding mechanism and av circuit breaker trip. `By means of this arrangement the l. retain Parana 4orifice.

motorman or operator of the vehicle canin' stantly actuate the emergencydevices wit h.. I.

out takinghis handv from the air brake hanfdle'and furthermore the device is articu- New York, have invented a new and useful"` p 4 l y larly desirable in the case `of one-man cars since the car cannot bestarted while the operator has his hand olf M Joff ythey auxiliary."` n i handle.

In the vparticularembodiment of ,this

vention shown in the drawings, kA represents the valve housing of an! air brake valve which is providedwith vthe'usual valve stem Y byv means yof the usual air brake 'handle c.

All of these parts havefheretofore been usedv in connection with electric cars and locomo tives and of themselvesconstitute no partvk of this inventionf The rauxiliary hande vbe ofanysuit 1, able or desired construction and, inthe parv ticular embodiment of the inventionv shown in the drawings, is 'mounted on the. air brake handle a. B represents the `auxiliary handle and which,"in the construction shown, is slidable lengthwise yof the air brakehandle af.

The auxiliary handle is preferably provided with an extension I) whichengages apart ofthe air brake valve and assistsin guiding' the `auxiliary handle inl itsy movement length'- wise ofA the air brake handle.r The auxiliary handle is also provided with a cam projection C having a cam face c which is adapted to engage a slidable `stem or part.. D ranged above the valve stem c, the cam being arrangedto raise thestein ory part D when the auxiliary handle `is moved toward "the -v axis of the air brake'valve A@ In the. construction shown, ,theauXiliary handle VIVB is normally :movedlengthwise of lthe air brake `handle toward the axis'of `the f air ,brake valve by means of a spring E sur roundingthe. air brake'lhandlea kand bearing at one end 'againstanfenlargement'e at the end of the air .brake handle,.and at the lOO other end on a part of the auxiliary handle t B. This spring,v is preferably ofx such strength as to. movethe auxiliary handle-to a position intermediate of its outerand inner positions. y

lll/Then the auxiliary handle' B is vmoved.

into' its half way position by meansof the spring` E, the stem or part D is raised :in--

such a manner that a switch ory circuit closrll() ing member F mounted `on the stem D engages two contacts or terminals f so asv D circuit closing device VF occupy-the positions shown, in Fig. l. rlhe auxiliary handle is held in its outer positionvby the vmotorman or engineer .while operating the vehicle and whilein this position the Iauxiliary handle maybe used for actuating the air brakey handle a without actuatingthe stem D or parts connected,therewith lf for any reason the. motor man or engineer releasesV the auxiliary handle B, the spring E willY move the same into the position shown in Fig. 2, Vthus completingv a circuit between the contacts f f which Vwill have the elfect of alnblying the brakes, moving lthe controller to the off position, and opening 'the door or doors, as will be hereinafter eX- plained.`

Means are preferably provided whereby the ,auxiliary handle may actuate certain emergency or safety appliances when posi-- tively moved by the `operator into a third position, 4and in the construction shown, these means ,are arranged as follows rllhe upper end of the switch stem D is adapted to engage an emergency air valve stem .G which is preferably 4arranged in alinement with the switch stem D. rlfhe emergency air valve stem G is connected with` a valve g arranged in a housing g', and when the stem G is raised the. air valve is opened to permit air to pass through the valve housing. This housing in the construction shown, is connectedY by means of a pipe g2 with a suitable ,air supply, and a pipe g3 connects to certain emergencyv or accident-preventing devices. The raising of the stem Gr of the emergency air valve can be accomplished by moving the auxiliary handle vB .toward the axis of the air brake valve A, into the .position shown in Fig. 3. The handle can only be moved into this position by a positive action on the part of the inotorman or engineer, since the spring Fi is only of such strength to move the auxiliary handle approximately into the position shown in Fig. 2. The emergency handle is moved into theposition shown in Fig. il when vthe motorman or engineer wishes to actuate all of the emergency devices for the purpose of preventing an accident., and by arranging the circuit closingsteinD and the auxiliary valve stein G above the axis of the air brake valve A., the motorman or engineer retainsjfull control-,of tlieapplication of the air brakes independently'of vwinding of an electroinagnet H. the current passes through the conductor the cai' stopping and emergency devices, even after the auxiliary handle has been moved to its inner or emergency position.

Fig. fl shows the connections between the various parts of the device. ln this Figure the switch stein D and contact making device F are shown diagrammatically, and when these parts are in their circuit closing source of power (not shown) through a conductor 7i, which conductor includes the llvhen 7L and the magnet coil H, the core /t of the magnet is raised to open an air valve li. 'The opening of this valve admits air to an air pipe which is connected with a plurality oit branch pipes z" 2 s which are connected with various devices for stopping a car.

For example, in the case illustrated in the drawings, the branch pipe z" is connected with a suitable device for moving the controller or throttle valve into an olf position, this device being shown diagrammatically at l. rlhe branch pipe 2 connects with the brake cylinder ofthe vehicle which is diagrammatically shown at l2, a check valves"Jr being inserted into this branch pipe for the reason that air may be admitted to the brake cylinder by means4 of the vair- .biale valve A and when air is so admitted the check valve 4 prevents the air from flowing into the branch `pipes i and it. rllhe branch pipe 3 connects with a door openingdevice represented diagranimatically at Consequently, it will be seen that when the motorinan or engineer releases his hold on the auxiliary handle B, air will be admitted to the controlleroff device, brake cylinder anddoor opening device, so that the car or train will be stopped and will be in a positionto receive and discharge passengers and will not sta-rt except by positive action on the part of the engi.- neeil or inotorinan. This leaves the `motorman or engineer free to collect fares -or to perforinany other work that may be de-y sired. Furthermore, if during the operation of the car, the motorman oi' engineer should for any reason release his hold on vthe ani;- ili ary handle, the car or train will be brought to a stop, so that incaseofaccident to the engineer or motorinan, orsudf.

geney or accident preventing -devices -andj referably also actuate the several car stop ping devicesdescribed. For

with the pipe 7T and `r providedrwith a check h this purpose,-1 the pipe g3 has a branch pipe K connecting positions, current may flow from a suitable valve k, so that air may pass from the pipe g3 to the pipe c' to actuate the car stopping devices to which the several branch pipes '17, i? a are connected, but the check'. valve iioiv of current toi the car isninterrupted.`

Vso

The pipe g3 is 'provided with a number of other branch pipes ,c 762k?, `for actuating emergency-or accident preventing devices.

For example.7 the branch pipe 7c -isi'shovvn y' n cars andl the likeV including devices for as connected with a device' indicated diagrammatically at K lwhich causesth'efender'` to be dropped and an alarm fache-actuated, and the branch pipe 7:2 is connected With a sancler device represented diagrammatically at 2. nected to a device shown diagrannnatically at K? for tripping ythe circuit breaker to interrupt the flow of current toI the prot pelling motor or motors of the vehicle.

Other branch pipes may of course, beV usedy it ldesired to operate additional emergency devices, or it des1red,some of the emergency devices referred to may be omitted -l-orreplaced by other devices. -y

The construction described is very desirable for the 'reason that'it is simple and comparatively inexpensive to'construct and install and is veryeffective in bringing thel vehicle to a positive stop in case the. 'opera-y tors hand releases the auxiliary' handle, and insures the -stopp-ingof the car until the auxiliary handle is positively Withdrawn' from its normal position. The device has the further advantage thatit may :be'used to apply th'e'emergency devices by an! addi-1 tional manipula-tion of 'thesameauxiliary handle, and by mountingpthis handlex on the air brake handle ot the vehicle, the operator constantly has a griplon the auxiliary handle sothat he need lose' no time in moving this handle to the emergency po'- sition and thus avoid accidents I The invention has been, described more particularly as intended for use on electric vcars or trains, but it will be understoodthat' the invention may'equally Well be applied to steam or other locomotives or trains.

I claim as my invention: l '1. Means for usev in operating electric cars and ,the like, including `devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, 'a handle which is adapted to beheld by lan operator in a position to operate ythe car',

and means which act When said; handleis released by the operator to normally move said handle'into a' position tocause the ac;-y

The branch pipe Kand i v moved The branch. pipe 7a3 `maybe con-vl tuationof said stop-(ping devices, 'saidhaik dle'; being movable into, afthi'rd position to cruise thelv'actuation of'said emergency` devices.

2. Meansjforuse operating 'electricsy cars and 'the like, including'deviceslv for stopping the car; and emergency devices, a i

actuated bysaid handle when released by thev operator, andl means Ytorv actuating said emergency devices land Vwhich meansffare placed into operation when f said handle is' I.

bythe yoperator.pinto la third 'posi 3. vMeans for use'y in',Iv operatinggelectr'ic stopping thecanand emergency devices, a handle Whichfis adapted fto be'heldby an oiperatorintoa. position toengagesaidfac..'` .v

tuating means, said` 1 handlebeing.,y movable into. a third positionjto lcause thefactua'- l tion ot said emergency devices. g

Ac.; Means for use in operating:v electricfcars and thelike, including devices forv stopping the car land emergency devices, afmoyable .p y handle which is adapted to` bel'heldby: anff'l j l operator at one end ofits path yof movement y y y' iooy to operate the c a'rnieans `for-yieldingly moving handle into an lintermediate its path of movement.v

5. Means ,for usein'operating.electriccarsr v` i: I

handle which is adaptedI to "beheld b'yfian same yis. in an intermediate position, :and

means for actuating'said emergency devices, f

position forgalctuating said car stopping de-y vices,l and means for,actuat1ng,said 'emergencydevices and Which areactuated When"` misshandelt is movefiathe other @miy of said last lmentioned means being .placedinto operation by said handle Whenthe samey is ymoved toward the other end of its path of movement.V Y

i207 AMeans voi use in operating electric cars' .y y

and the-like, includingdevices for stopping the carv and emergency f devices,` a1: inovableliandleivh'ich is adapted to be held loyan operator at one end of ,its path ofjmovenient tooperatethe cangmeansztor actuating said n l A,car stopping (devices, means foractuating said emergency devices, said :means being;l l f ,p arranged relatively lto the handle .that both `of said 'means will bev engagedfby the handle 'when the same is at the other end et its path of movement, and means for causing said handle when released by the operator to engage the actuating means Jor said car stopping devices. A

7. Means for use in operating electric cars andthe lilre, including devices for stopping the car, a handle for use in operating` thc car, an auxiliary handle mounted on said first mentioned handle and movable relatively thereto and adapted 'to be grasped by an operator to move said first mentioned handle, and means Yfor normally moving said auxiliary handle in a direction to cause the actuation of said car stopping devices. y

8. Means for use in operating electric cars andthe like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, a handle Which is used by the operator in controllingthe movement of the car, an auxiliary handle mounted on "said first mentioned handle and movable relatively thereto, said auxiliary handle being adapted vto bev held by an operator in a position to operate the car, and means which act. when said nxiliary handleis released by the operator to normally move said auxiliary lnindle'y into a position to causethe actuation of said car stoppingl devices, said anxiliary'handle being movableinto a third position tocause vthe actuation of said emergency devices.

9. Means for use in operating elctric cars and the like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, a handle which is vused by the operator in controlling the lmover dle mounted on said first mentioned handle and movable relatively thereto,means` 'for actuating said car stopping devices, means for actuating said emergency devices, both. of said actuating` means being arranged in onerative relation to said anxiliarv handle said handle being held by the operator out or' enga gement with said actuating means when operating the car-and being movable by the operator into a position to actnate both of said means and means tor moving said auxiliary handle intoa position to engage said moans for actuating saidcar stopping devices When said auxiliary handle .is released by the operator.. v v

l0. li/ieans ttor use in operating electric cars and the like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, an air kbralie handle, an auxiliary handle movably mounted on said air brake handle and adapted to be held at one vend of its pat-h et movement While the car is being operated a spring which normally moves said auxiliary handle into a position intermediate between the ends ot' its path of movement, means tor actuating said ycar stopping deicos, said means being so arranged with respect tosaid auxiliary handle as to be ac-` tua/ted thereby when the auxiliary handle is mt vof the car, an auxiliary. han-k moved tofan intermediate posit-ion by said spring, and means engaged by said handle when moved to the other end of its path of movement by the operator for causing the actuation of said emergency devices.

l1. Means for use in operating'- electric cars and the like, including devices for stop ping the car and emergency devices, a handle which is movable about an axis to control. the operation of the car, an auxiliary handle movable relatively to saidhandle and having a cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis, a member extending into proximity to said axis' andv adapted to be moved by said cam into a position to actuate said car stopping devices, and a second member adapted to be engaged by said lirst member after an initial movement ot said lirst member, to move said second member into a posif tion to cause the actuation of said emergency devices.

l2. Means for user in operating electric cars and the like, incliiiding devices for stopping the car, a handle which is movable about an axis to control the operation of the car, an auxiliary handle movable relatively to said lirst mentioned handle and having a cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis, a member-extending into proximity to said axis and adapted vto be engaged by said cam shaped portion toy cause the actuation of said car stopping devices, and a spring Which normally holds said auxiliary handle in a position to engage said member, said auxiliary handle being held by the operator against the action of said spring While operating the car.

ljlileans for use in operating electric cars and thelile, including devices tor stopping the lcar and emergency devices, a handle whichy is movable about an axis to control the operation oit the car, an auxiliary handle movablerelatively to said handle and havinga cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis` a member extending into proximity to said axis and adapted to be engaged by said cam shaped portion to cause the actuation of said car stopping devices, and a spring which normally holds said auxiliary handle in a position to engage said inember, said auxiliary handle being held by the operator against the action of said spring While operatingv the car, and means for actuating said devices when said auxiliary handle is moved into a third position.

le. lMeans for use in operating electric cars and the lilre,'i'ncluding devices for stopping the car and en'iergency devices', a handle Which yis movable about an axis to control the operation of the ear, an auxiliary handle movable lengthwise of said handle and having a cani shaped portion adapted to move into various positions above said axis, said auxiliary handle being held in its outer position'by an operator i'vhifle operating the car y the operationof the car, an auxiliary handle movable relatively to said handle and having a cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis, a member extending into proximity to said axis and adapted to be engaged by said cam shaped portion to cause the actuation of said car stopping devices, and a spring which normally holds said auxiliary handle in a position to eiigagev said member,

said auxiliary handle being held by the operator against the action of said spring while operating the car, means for actuating said emergency devices when said auxiliary handle is moved into a third position, and a4 spring which normally holds said auxiliary handle in position to cause lthe actuation o'l' said car-stopping devices.

16. Means for use in operating electric cars and the like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, a handle which is movable about an axis to control the operation of the car, an auxiliary handle movable relatively to said handle and having a cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis, and actuating members adapted to actuate said car stopping devices and said emergency devices and extending into proximity to said axis and `to -be successively moved by said cam into their actuating positions. c

17. Means Jfor use in operating electric cars and the like including devices for `stopping the car and emergency devices, a handle which is movable about the axis to control the operation of the car, movable relatively to said handle and having a gam shaped portion movable relatively to sai an auxiliary handle axis, actuating members extending into proximity to said axis .and adapted to actuate said car stopping devices and said emergency devices and extending into proximity to said axis andy to be successively moved by said cam into their actuating positions, and means for yieldingly moving said auxiliary handle when released into 'a position to enga-ge theactuating member for saidv car stopping means.

18. Means Jfor Vuse in operating electric cars and the like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency devices, a handle which is movable about an axis to control the operation of the car, an auxiliaiyhandle movable relatively to `said handle and hav-` ing a cam shaped portion movable relatively to said axis, a switch member extending into the path of adapted to cause the actuation of said car movement. of said cam and stopping devices, saidvswitch member being;

moved into actuating position by an initial vmovement of said auxiliary handle, and a valve openingv member adapted to be engaged by said switch member upon further movement thereotl by said cam to cause the y actuation of said emergency devices.

,f 19. Means for use in operating electric cars-and the like, including devices for stopping the car and emergency4 devices, means for conducting motive iiuid nto' said car stopping devices, means separate from said first mentioned means for transmitting motive fluid to said emergency devices, and a connection between said transmitting means including a check valve'w'hich permits-the motive fluid to iiow from the last mentioned means to the first mentioned means i and which resists the flow of motive fluid in the reverse direction, and a handle which when released causes motive fluid .to enter` said iirst mentioned transmitting means and which upon further movement. causes motive mitting means.

viuid to be transmitted to both of said Vtrans- 

